Bound Anthocyanins (bANT)

Figure 1. WINEXRAY's representative phenolic profile of a 21-day macerated Bordeaux varietal fermentation (The Future of Winemaking: Honoring the Vision of Professor Roger Boulton, 2022). Bound anthocyanins (bANT) are small and large polymeric pigments that form when monomeric free anthocyanins and protein-precipitable tannins polymerize together. Their brick red color is more stable, persisting throughout the life of the wine long after purple free anthocyanins decay. They are resistant to oxidation, sulfur bleaching, and chromatic shifts due to high pHs. Their formation also decreases the hydrophobicity of the associated tannin molecules, modulating astringency and aroma suppression. Overall, they are fundamental for establishing red wine style and serve as a mechanism to integrate wine flavor into phenolic structure. The most important information is knowing how, when, and why color is stabilizing. Through our winemaking practices, we can facilitate these interactions by controllin